Author Topic: Problems viewing webcams (Read 4934 times)

sweetbabe · « **on:** February 03, 2006, 00:42 »

Hi,
Well this will probably wreck everyones head as it has done with mine this last week or so

I don't know where to start, but I'll try to be as brief as possible about it lol
For some reason I can't view some live webcams on http://www.earthcam.com/ for example live streaming in Times Square http://www.earthcam.com/usa/newyork/timessquare/index.php?cam=1&display=flash I get a black screen, then it just vanishes :? when I right click and go to error details it says
Windows Media Player encountered an unknown error. This can occur when another program or operating system component encounters a problem but does not communicate the nature of the problem to the Player.
Then when I select the more info I get the C00D11CD: Unknown error

I have the latest Flash, Java etc all installed and just can't figure out why I'm having these problems

I've been through all the streaming proxy settings and all seem to be correct :?

As I said I've been trying to sort this out now for over a week, also my BF has the same problem on one of his PC's but on another PC of his the live streams work fine :?

I've un and reinstalled WMP10, java etc so what is going on :?:

Now I'm off to post another irritating problem that's just occured since yesterday, so no doubt see you there too lol

Medion MD8800

Sandra · « **Reply #1 on:** February 03, 2006, 01:13 »

Hi Sweetbabe and

Glad you managed to log in ok eventually

Have a look at this :

http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/articles/10633.aspx

It sounds like you may not have a MPEG 2 decoder installed and only have Mpeg 1 :?

Your error message says "This can occur when another program or operating system component encounters a problem but does not communicate the nature of the problem to the Player"

If my first suggestion doesnt fix it then try Ctrl/Alt/Del to bring up the task manager and close down any other media programs that are running to see if another program is using the mpeg 2 decoder.

sweetbabe · « **Reply #2 on:** February 03, 2006, 01:33 »

OMG Sandra, I think your a genius because I think you may of hit the nail right on the head

because a while back this same problem happened but I thought no more about it and didn't stress my little head out as much as I have been this last week lol then all of a sudden they started streaming again, and, now that you have mentioned MPEG 2 decoder...this must of been what sorted it out the last time, because I remember installing MPEG2 for something else

so fingers crossed I'm just off to find the MPEG2 decoder I installed last time....brb

BTW Thanks for the welcome message

Sandra · « **Reply #3 on:** February 03, 2006, 01:39 »

Hope it works

sweetbabe · « **Reply #4 on:** February 03, 2006, 01:53 »

I couldn't find the one I downloaded (I'm sure I saved it) last time, so just searched for another and installed this one http://www.vidlizard.com/mpeg2-decoder.html but without any rebooting my machine I still see nothing, in IE it still vanishes in Firefox it shows a black screen :?

I've ran that decoder check up utilty again and says for this decoder I just installed is not compatible. The one that's selected as preffered decoder is Cyberlink Video/SP CLVsd.ax

Sandra · « **Reply #5 on:** February 03, 2006, 02:45 »

Try this free program :

http://www.autogk.me.uk/index.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownloaddetails&lid=1

Download link is at the bottom of the page.

The program does a lot of stuff that you may or may not need but it will also install the codecs that you need for Mpeg 2

sweetbabe · « **Reply #6 on:** February 03, 2006, 12:01 »

Thanks Sandra, I installed that but still no go

I think I'm going to end up throwing restore disc in and start from new again, but if I give up now without finding out the fix for this and my other problem in other post I could well end up back to square one

sweetbabe · « **Reply #7 on:** February 03, 2006, 23:28 »

Earthcam have got back to me and here's what they said...

Times Square cam images... These use Macromedia FLASH to update.
Times Square Stream... This uses Windows Media and I've not seen the error
you describe before, you might want to look up at Microsoft site knowledge
base.
All other Metrocams... Use Java Applet to update (these will all switch to
FLASH soon)
Also, closing Zone Alarm or other security programs does not necessarily
stop them from blocking things, you should look at the logs in these
programs and see if they are blocking the flash, java or WMP from getting
the content... If they are there should be log entries about the actions
they took and you should be able to configure exceptions.

I think myself something is blocking Flash, but what :? Also I think Incredimail uses Flash too so this might be why I can't open Incredimail :?

chorleydave · « **Reply #8 on:** February 03, 2006, 23:39 »

Apologies if this sounds like I'm stating the obvious, but you haven't got any of these third-party toolbars/popup blockers etc installed have you? I have come across several that offer "a peaceful internet experience" by offering (amongst other things) options to turn off Flash and so on. These are options are usually turned on by default.

Sandra · « **Reply #9 on:** February 03, 2006, 23:41 »

Sounds like a good possibility.

Can you see and hear the sig at the bottom of my post ok as thats a .swf (flash) file ?

sweetbabe · « **Reply #10 on:** February 04, 2006, 00:08 »

Good Evening,
Yes Sandra I can see and hear your signature

but I have noticed in some other post I can see lots of html code with .swf files at the end but no actual file showing :? even in between the sentences I see all the bold < b > html etc

Hi chorleydave, I've turned off pop up blocking in Zone Alarm to test. The only other pop up blockers that are enabled are in google toolbar, firefox and IE and I've also tested with these disabled. I haven't installed any other seperate pop up blocker.

sweetbabe · « **Reply #11 on:** February 05, 2006, 12:08 »

Well I've found the culprit.. last night I formatted pc kept checking webcams after everything I installed and they where working fine until I installed Spyware Doctor. It run immunization itself after install and immunized lots of objects, that's when the streaming cam stopped streaming again

and now it's back to the windows media player error :twisted:
I tried the undo option in the immunizer but no joy, it's already done the damage :twisted:

Camstop · « **Reply #12 on:** February 05, 2006, 12:23 »

You might have to do a system restore if you can sb.

There seems to be some problems with that software...

LINK

Hope that helps and

Simon · « **Reply #13 on:** February 05, 2006, 12:37 »

If you want to install some good spyware protection, once you've uninstalled Spyware Doctor, use Ad Aware and Spybot for regular scans, and install Spyware Blaster, which will prevent most types of spyware getting into your PC in the first place (but has to be updated about once a month). These are all free, but you might want to consider splashing out the £7 (approx) for Spyware Blaster's Auto Update facility, after which you can set it and forget it for a year.

Ad Aware (The free version of this is Ad Aware Personal)
Spybot S&D
Spyware Blaster

sweetbabe · « **Reply #14 on:** February 05, 2006, 13:36 »

Hiya Simon, I also use Adaware and Spybot. I don't leave them running just run the scans now n again.

I've always liked Spyware Doctor and even bought it and have only recently just paid for another 12 months, so I don't want to uninstall it, it'll be a waste of money I don't think I can get a refund now.
I want to find out where in the settings I can get it to allow these streaming earthcams to stream. But I can't find anything

Since it immunized my PC I'm back to square one

Thanks for that link camstop, I'm just reading all about it